Veteran’s Day One arm, one leg Needs help, won’t beg Veterans’ Day; A nervous jerk Nightmare dream A muscle quirk. Veterans’ Day Red, white and blue Courage, purity A soldier for you. Veterans’ Day Olive stained with blood A gaping wound For national good. A day of thanks of a different kind Alone or crippled, maimed or blind A day that gave its joy to its brothers A veteran, a sacrifice, of life for others. |
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The Deception of Victory
Everybody likes to win. But does winning make you a better person? If your candidate wins, does that make you a more caring person? Does it make you a better parent to your child, a better spouse or friend? Does that increase your honesty and your integrity, when no one is looking? Does it make you more responsible with your finances, your spending, saving and wisely investing your money? Does your candidate winning make you kinder to others and more tolerant or understanding? Does it mean that you know and practice the truth? Somehow, when we win we think everything will be fine. Doesn’t matter if it is a sports team or a political candidate. When we win, it feels like there is someone there taking care of us and our concerns and that we are on the right side. We suddenly feel personally justified. We tend to feel like the hard work is done and we can relax. But in reality, we are who and what we are: human beings with human natures that demand continuous and serious attention and hard work no matter who we root for or who wins. The hard work is not attaching ourselves to the right group or the election of a leader or a party. The hard work is being honest, admitting our faults, accepting responsibility for our actions, making apologies, fixing our mistakes, doing the right thing, and understanding and appreciating even those we consider our enemies. The really hard work is humility. Especially when we have "won". Bad things in life emerge from individual hearts. Mine. Yours. Not collective parties. We really haven’t won anything until we’ve won control over ourselves: our thoughts, our attitudes and our actions. So keep working. |
The DoorpostThe Doorpost is written for the family and friends of Fred / Papa / Dad Paddock in response to this admonition found in Deuteronomy 6:6-9: These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door posts of your houses and on your gates and emails.
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